Lifting device



July 12, 1966 T. R. VlLTER 3,260,377

LIFTING DEVICE Filed 001. 28, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Hum: 2 Vzizpr T- R. VILTER LIFTING DEVICE July 12, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 28, 1964 SM/M4914 July 12, 1966 T. R. VILTER 3,260,377

LIFTING DEVICE Filed 001.. 28, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 July 12, 1966 Filed 001.. 28, 1964 T. R. VILTER LIFTING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IHHIIIHIH Ill United States Patent 3,260,377 LIFTING DEVICE Thomas R. Vilter, Oconomowoc, Wis., assignor to Hydraulic Unit Specialties Company, Waukesha, Wis, a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Oct. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 407,113 13 Claims. (Cl. 214-1) This invention relates to lifting devices of general utility, and has more particular reference to improvements in lifting devices that can be used for the mooring of small boats. Such lift type mooring devices are operable to lift a boat upwardly out of the water and hold it safely moored in an elevated position Where it cannot be influenced by wind or wave action, such as frequently results in damage to boats that are moored by merely tying them to a pier or dock.

In general, it is the purpose of this invention to provide a lift type mooring device of the character described, which features an exceptionally simple but rigid framework comprising a pair of upright side frames that cooperate to define an elongated stall which can rest upon the bottom of a lake or other body of water, preferably alongside a pier or dock, and into which a boat to be moored may be floated and then lifted bodily out of the water to a safe mooring position where the boat can be held as long as desired.

More particularly, it is a purpose of this invention to provide a boat mooring device of the character described in which each end of the stall comprises a rigid U-shaped structure having opposite upright posts between which a boat can be floated, and a transverse brace joining only the bottom portions of the posts at locations far enough below water level to readily enable a boat to pass over them and to otherwise leave the ends of the stall substantially unobstructed.

It is a further purpose of this invention to provide the boat mooring device described with a pair of boat lifters, one at each end of the stall, each of which comprises a U-shaped crank unit having opposite crank arms, spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the width of the stall, rigidly joined at one end by a hull engaging cross bar, and having their opposite ends supported by crank pins from the adjacent end posts without obstructing the space between the latter, for swinging movement about a transverse axis spaced a distance above the adjacent transverse brace and near or above water level, between positions at which its cross bar is disposed substantially equal distances below and above the crank axis. Thus, in the lowered positions of the cranks, their cross bars can be submerged substantially to the level of the transverse braces to allow a boat to be floated into the stall and over the cross bars, without interference from the pivotal supports for the crank units. When raised, the cross bars of the crank units engage the hull of a boat in position above them and lift the boat a substantial distance out of the water to a safe mooring position.

This invention has as another of its objects, to provide simple but reliable means for actuating the crank units to cause them to be readily swung in unison from their inoperative to their operative positions.

In this last respect, it is a further purpose of this invention to provide a lifting device of the type described, wherein the cranks are constrained to move in unison by links connecting with arms on the cranks, and wherein one of said links is extensible and retractible to elTect swinging movement of the cranks from one position thereof to the other, and can comprise a fluid pressure operated cylinder or jack.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides .in the novel construction, combination and arrangement 3 ,260,377 Patented July 12, 1966 of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate several complete examples of the physical embodiments of the invention constructed according to the best modes so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a lift type boat mooring device incorporating the principles of this invention, showing the crank-like lifting units thereof intheir lowered or inoperative positions;

FIGURE 2 is a similar perspective view showing the crank-like lifting units in their operative fully raised positions;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken through FIGURE 1 on the plane of the line 33;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrating how boat stabilizing planks can be secured to the cross bars of the crank-like lifters;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrating how the framework can be vertically adjusted at each of its four corners;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary detail view partly in side elevation and partly in section and at an enlarged scale of part of the linkage that operatively connects the cranklike units; and

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, illustrating a modified embodiment of the invention.

Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the rigid framework of which the lift device of this invention is comprised. The framework is characterized by front and rear upright side frames generally designated 11 and 12, respectively, which cooperate to define an elongated stall. Each of the side frames comprises a pair of elongated upright end posts 13 and 14, which are joined by a longitudinal brace 15 extending substantially horizontally between them. Transverse braces 16 extend between and are joined to the posts 13 and 14 at each end of the stall to hold the side frames in the desired spaced apart parallel relationship, with their posts rising from the corners of a rectangle.

While the longitudinal braces 15 are preferably secured to their posts at a common level spaced a distance above the bottoms of the posts, the transverse braces 16 are joined to the bottom portions of the posts.

The posts 13 and 14 are provided by elongated tubes of square cross section, and when the lifting device is to be used for mooring boats, the lower end portions of the posts are adjustably telescoped over tubular legs 18 of similar cross section. Flat plates 159 are welded to the bottoms of the legs and provide bases that are adapted to engage the bottom of a lake or other body of water to support the framework in the upright stall defining position described. As seen best in FIGURE 5, the legs 18 are individually adjustable up and down with respect to their posts to accommodate the mooring device to different water depths and to enable leveling of the device in case the base plates 19 rest upon an uneven or sloping bottom. A pin 20 can be projected through coaxial holes 21 in opposite side walls of each post near its bottom, and engaged in any one of a series of vertically spaced holes 22 in its leg 18 to maintain the side frames in properly adjusted level positions, with the transverse braces 16 submerged in water to a depth slightly greater than the draft of a boat to be moored. This will ordinarily dispose the longitudinal braces 15 near to but above water level.

From the description thus far, it will be seen that each end of the stall provided by the side frames 11 and 12 is defined by a rigid U-shaped frame structure comprising a pair of posts 13-14 and a transverse brace 16 joining the bottom portions of said posts, and that the space above the transverse braces and between the posts at the ends of the stall is substantially entirely unobstructed.

The lifting device of this invention features a pair of identical crank units 24 and 25, one at each end of the stall, and supported by the adjacent end posts for swinging motion between inoperative lowered positions such as seen in FIGURE 1, and operative raised positions such as seen in FIGURE 2. For this purpose, each onank unit is supported by coaxial widely spaced trunnions or crank pins 26 that are fixed with respect to the crank unit and rotatably supported in bearings 27 on its adjacent end posts in a manner such that the crank units serve as additional transverse braces for the posts at the ends of the stall. As shown, the bearings 27 can be in the nature of complementary castings that are clamped about the end posts, as by bolts 28, at the level of the longitudinal braces 15, and they also serve to secure said braces to the end posts. For this latter purpose, the bearing castings embrace the end portions of the longitudinal braces, and one of the bolts 28 holding the castings together passes through the adjacent end portion of the brace 15.

The trunnions or crank pins 26 project entirely through the bearing castings and the posts to which the latter are clamped, and their adjacent ends project from the outer sides of a pair of opposite parallel crank arms 29, at one end portion of the latter. A hull engaging cross bar 30 extends between and is rigidly joined to the opposite end portions of the crank arms 29.

As shown in FIGURE 3, the crank arms are detachably fixed to the crank pins for ease of assembly and disassembly. For this purpose, the crank pins are welded to flat attaching plates 260 which overlie and are secured to the outer sides of the crank arms as by bolts 261.

From this it will be seen that each crank unit is substantially U-shaped, in that the hull engaging cross bar 30 defines the bight of the U, while the arms 29 project in the same direction from the opposite ends of the cross bar adjacent to the inner sides of the stall provided by the side frame and define the sides of the U. The crank pins or trunnions 26 project outwardly from the end portions of the arms remote from the cross bar, and they support the crank units for back and forth swinging motion at the opposite ends of the stall, about axes which extend transversely of the stall and lie in a common horizontal plane.

Thrust collars 31 encircling the crank pins between the bearings and the attaching plates 260 prevent the posts at the ends of the stall from flexing motion toward one another.

In the normal or lowered positions of the crank units, the arms 29 thereof extend generally downwardly in the same direction and at the same substantially steep angle to horizontal, so as to dispose the cross bars 30 in positions only slightly above the level of the transverse braces 16, to readily permit a boat to be floated into the stall from either end thereof, through the unobstructed space between the pivoted ends of the crank arms. This assumes, of course, that the legs 18 are adjusted to positions disposing the trunnions or crank pins 26 in a common horizontal plane close to, but preferably above water level.

When the boat is in position over the cross bars 30, it can be lifted up out of the water to a safe mooring position by the crank units, in consequence of swinging the same to their operative or raised positions seen in FIG- URE 2, at which the crank arms 29 extend substantially vertically upwardly from their pivot axes. During such swinging of the crank units, the cross bars 30 thereon are brought into engagement with the bottom of the hull to carry the boat to its mooring position.

It is important to note that the cross bars 30 are thus movable between positions spaced substantially equal distances above and below the crank axes, thereby affording an exceptionally high lift by which a boat resting thereon can be held in a safe mooring position well above water level.

This invention provides exceptionally eflicacious and compact means for effecting simultaneous movement of the crank units to their operative mooring positions. For this purpose, the crank pins 26 are extended to project a distance forwardly from their bearings on the posts 13 and 14 of the front side frame 11, and have lever arms 32 and 33 of equal length afiixed thereto as by welding in similar angular positions nearly perpendicular to the crank arms 29. Whereas the arms 29 of both crank units normally extend steeply downwairdly and in one longitudinal direc tion, namely to the left as seen in FIGURE 1, the lever arms 32 and 33 normally extend in the opposite longitudinal direction, namely to the right, at only a slight downward inclination with respect to horizontal. Thrust collars 31' encircling the projecting portions of the crank pins are interposed between the bearings 27 and their adjacent lever airms 3233, and these collars cooperate with heads 34 on the outer ends of the opposite crank bins to prevent the posts at each end of the stall from fiexure away from one another.

The arm 33, comprises one end portion of a lever 35 that is medially mounted on its crank pin and provides a second arm 36 equal in length to the arm 33 but extending in the opposite direction from its orank pin.

The arms 32, 33 and 36 are connected by linkage means generally designated 37, which is unique in that it cooperates with the medially mounted lever 35 to provide in effect a triangular link system featuring a lengthwise expansible and contractible lilllk 38. One end of the link 38 is pivotally connected as at 39 to the outer end of the lever arm 32, and the other end of the link is pivotally connected as at 40 to the outer end of the lever arm 36. The main component of the link 38 is a jack, here shown as a hydraulic cylinder or ram 41 having an extensible and retractible piston rod 42 the projecting end of which is pivotally connected to the lever arm 36 at 40. The remainder of the link 38 is provided by an elongated tubular member 43 having one end connected at 39 with the lever arm 32, and having its other end portion supportingly telescoped over the cylinder 41 for substantially the entire length of the latter. Hence, when the lever arms 32 and 36 are in their normal ositions corresponding to the lowered positions of their crank units seen in FIGURE 1, the piston rod 42 is fully retracted in its cylinder 41 and the end of the tubular member remote from its connection with the arm 32 is adjacent to the outer end of the arm 36.

The head end 44 of the-cylinder is disposed in thrust transmitting relation to a cross pin 45 anchored in the tubular member 43, and a fluid supply fitting 46 in the head end of the cylinder projects out through a hole 47 in the wall of the tubular member to prevent axial movement of the cylinder outwardly of the adjacent end of the tubular member.

As will be apparent from the description thus far, fiuid under pressure admitted into the head end of the cylinder Wlll effect extension of its piston rod 42 and thus lengthen the link 38 to cause force to be applied to the lever arms 32 and 36 tending to rotate the crank units 24 and 25 in clockwise directions toward their operative raised positions. In order to assure simultaneous clockwise swinging of the crank units, however, the third link 49 of the triangular ilink system has one end pivotally connected as at 50 to the outer end of the lever arm 33, and has its other end connected with the outer end of the lever arm 32. This may be accomplished by pivotally connecting the link 49 to the tubular link member 43, as at 51, at a point intermediate the ends of the member 43 so as to obviate the need for extending the link 49 all the way to the arm 32. Wherever heavy loads on the crank arms may subject the piston rod 42 to extensive bending forces, however, the link 49 is preferably long enough to connect to the tubular member at a location near the pivot 39.

The link 49 thus serves as a governor to not only cornstrain the crank units to swing in unison and at the same rate about the axes of their cna-nk pins, but to also equalize the forces which the cylinder exerts upon the lever arms 32 and 36 during extension of the piston rod 42. This, of course, requires the lever arms 32, 33 and 36 to have the predetermined length and angular relationship shown.

While the cylinder 41 can be of the type used in automobile bumper jacks, it is here shown as a single acting hydraulic ham that is supplied with fluid under pressure from a separate small pump unit 52 mounted on a bracket 53 that is secured to the upper portion of the post 14 of the front side frame. The pump unit has a manually actuatable pump handle 54 and a control lever 55. In one position of the control lever, fluid under pressure is supplied through a check valve to the head end of the cylinder via a flexible conduit 56 when the handle 54 is swung back and forth by an. operator. In another position of the control lever 55, fluid can be exhausted from the cylinder, under the influence of the load on its piston rod, for return to the reservoir in the pump unit.

According to this invention, the lever arm 32 can swing into engagement with the tubular link member 43, as seen in FIGURE 2, to define the raised positions of the crank units. If desired, such engagement can be effected after the crank arms have been swung slightly past dead center positions with respect to the axes of their respective crank pins 26. The weight of a boat supported on the cross bars 30 can thus be utilized to hold the crank units in their elevated positions. Also if desired, swinging motion of the cranks to their raised positions can be adjustably limited by means of a screw 58 threaded into the lever arm 32 to have its end engage the tubular link member 43 in slightly different angular positions of the arm 32.

Apertured lugs 59 formed on the arm 32 and on the adjacent end portion of the tubular link member 43 register with one another, in the raised positions of the crank units, to receive the locking bail of a padlock 60 by which unauthorized lowering of the crank arms can be prevented and thus provide assurance against theft of a boat supported on the cross bar 3%.

When the moored boat is to be lowered into the water, the control lever 55 on the pump unit 52 is moved to its cylinder exhausting position, and only a slight push need to be given to one of the crank arms to move the crank units past dead center position. Thereafter, the weight of the crank units is sufficient to return them to their lowered positions defined by the piston rod 4 2 reaching the end of its retraction stroke. Lowering motion of the crank units, of course, is aided by the weight of a boat resting upon their cross bars 30.

The embodiment of the invention seen in FIGURE 7 differs from that described primarily in that the crank units are provided with cross bars 13% which are longer, and the crank arms 129 connected thereto embrace their posts at the ends of the stall. Also, in this case, each of the crank pins or trunnions 126 is tangentially fixed, as by welding, to a flat attaching plate 62 that is detachably secured by bolts 63 to its adjacent post, and the crank units are supported by the trunnions for swinging motion about transverse axes that are spaced in the same longitudinal direction from the end posts. The advantage of this disposition of the crank arms is that because they swing in paths along the outer sides of the stall, they cannot be contacted by the hull of a boat floated into the stall. When the crank arms operate inside the stall, as described previously, their pivoted ends, unless shielded, can cause damage to the hull of a boat that is tossed about by wave or wind action while being floated into the stall. In addition, the cross bars 139 can engage their end posts to define the raised positions of the crank units.

The crank arms 129 of the crank units are provided with bushings 76 in which reduced outwardly projecting end portions 77 of the trunnions are received to rotatably support the crank units from their respective end posts. The outer extremities of the trunnions are further reduced, as at 78, and threaded to receive retaining nuts 79. Thrust collars 8t encircling the trunnions at each side of the crank arms prevent axial movement of the crank units along their trunnions, and as before, enable the crank units to serve as additional transverse bracing for the posts at the ends of the stall.

The lever arm 132, which corresponds to the arm 32 of the FIGURE 1 embodiment of the invention, is here shown rigidly aflixed, as by welding, to its adjacent crank arm 129, and swings in the same path as the arm 129. The lever arms corresponding to the arms 33 and 36 of the FIGURE 1 embodiment and which are also constrained to swing with the crank unit at the opposite end of the stall can likewise be welded .to their adjacent crank arm, to swing in the same path as said crank arm.

The same triangle link system 37, of course, is connected with the crank units through their lever arms to constrain the crank units to swing in unison between their lowered and raised positions.

In cases where exceptionally heavy loads are to be raised by the lifting device of this invention, a pair of triangle link systems 37 can be employed, one at each side of the stall. In that case, the crank units would have lever arms corresponding to the arms 32, 33 and 36 connected to their crank arms at both sides of the stall to enable lifting torque to be applied to both crank arms of each crank unit from the hydraulic cylinders incorporated in the link systems. Both cylinders, of course, would then be controlled by the same pump unit 52.

While the triangle link system of this invention is ideal for use in boat lifting and mooring devices of the type described, those skilled in the art will appreciate that it can also be incorporated to advantage in lifting devices of general utility, with either a single or a double acting cylinder forming part or all of its extensible and contractible link to impart swinging motion to a pair of crank like units that may, for example, be adapted for the lifting of small automobiles or the like.

In the boat lifting device described, chocks or their equivalent can be mounted on the cross bars of the crank units to stabilize a boat supported thereby. An exceptionally simple stabilizing expedient is illustrated in FIG- URE 4, and comprises a pair of laterally adjacent planks 86 only one of which is shown, long enough to span and rest upon the cross bars of the crank units. Each plank has straps 87 fixed to its underside, to loosely embrace the cross bars and provide for limited lengthwise movement of the plank relative to the stall as the crank units are elevated. These planks are releasably held in any desired position of lateral adjustment by clamps 88 on the cross bars of the crank units, which clamps engage the opposite longitudinal edges of the planks and com strain the same to endwise motion in the stall.

From the foregoing description, together with the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this invention features power actuated linkage that is especially well suited for use with lifting devices generally, and particularly for boat lifting and mooring devices such as specifically disclosed herein.

What is claimed as my invention is:

1. In a lifting device of the character described:

(A) a rigid frame structure comprising opposite spaced apart front and rear side frames each having upright posts at its opposite ends, said side frames defining an elongated stall;

(B) first and second crank units jointly supported by the posts at the ends of the stall for swinging motion between lowered and raised positions about fixed horizontal axes extending transversely of the stall,

each of said crank units comprising a load engaging 'bar which extends crosswise of the stall and is spaced a distance from the crank axis;

(C) a lever connected with said first crank unit and constrained to swing therewith along a path parallel and adjacent to one of said side frames;

(D) lever means connected with the second crank unit and constrained to swing therewith along a path parallel and adjacent to said designated side frame;

(E) link means connecting said lever and lever means to constrain the crank units to swing in unison between their lowered and raised positions;

(F) means defining a lengthwise extensible and retractible link;

(G) means operatively connecting said extensible and retractible link with said lever and with said lever means so that extension and retraction thereof effects raising and lowering of the crank units in unison;

(H) and means for effecting extension and retraction of said last named link.

2. In a lifting device of the character described:

(A) a rigid frame structure comprising opposite spaced apart front and rear side frames each having upright posts at its opposite ends, said side frames defining an elongated stall;

I (B) first and second crank units jointly supported by the posts at the ends of the stall for swinging motion between lowered and raised positions about fixed horizontal axes extending transversely of the stall, each of said crank units comprising a load engaging bar which extends crosswise of the stall and is spaced a distance from the crank axis;

(C) a first lever connected with said first crank unit and constrained to swing therewith about its axis along a path adjacent to one side frame;

(D) a second lever connected with the second crank unit and constrained to swing therewith about the axis thereof along a path adjacent to said one side frame, said second lever having a pair of arms which diverge outwardly from the axis of said second crank unit;

(E) means constraining the crank units to swing in unison between their lowered and raised positions, comprising a first elongated link connecting said first lever with one of the arms of the second lever;

(F) means providing a second elongated link connecting said first lever with the other arm of the second lever, said second link comprising a pair of cooperating link defining members which are movable lengthwise in opposite directions to either lengthen or shorten said second link and accordingly effect swinging movement of the crank units in unison from one position thereof to the other;

(G) and means for effecting movement of said link defining members in opposite directions.

3. A lifting device, comprising:

(A) a rigid frame structure comprising opposite spaced apart front and rear side frames each having upright posts at its opposite ends, said side frames defining an elongated stall;

(B) first and second crank units jointly supported by the posts at the ends of the stall for swinging motion between lowered and raised positions about fixed horizontal axes extending transversely of the stall, each of said crank units comprising a load engaging bar which extends crosswise of the stall and is spaced a distance from the crank axis;

(C) means carried by one of the side frames constraining the crank units to swing in unison between their lowered and raised positions, comprising (1) a lever fixed to each crank unit and extending substantially radially outwardly from the axis about which the crank unit swings,

(2) and means defining a rigid link connecting the outer ends of said levers;

(D) an arm fixed to the second crank unit and extending substantially radially outwardly from its axis in a direction opposite to the lever thereon;

(E) a fluid pressure actuated driver for said crank units, comprising lengthwise extensible and retractible cylinder and rod members, one of which members is connected to said arm on the second crank unit and the other of which members is connected to the lever on the first crank unit;

(F) and means for supplying fluid under pressure to said driver.

4. In a lift type mooring device for boats:

(A) a rigid frame structure comprising spaced apart side frames each having upright posts at their opposite ends, said posts being arranged at the corners of a rectangle;

(B) a pair of crank units supported jointly by the posts at the ends of the rectangle for swinging motion between lowered and raised positions about parallel axes lying in a substantially common horizontal plane and extending transversely of the rectangle, each of said crank units comprising (1) a hull engaging cross bar,

(2) and a pair of crank arms pivotally connected at one end with the posts supporting the crank units and having their outer ends connected to the opposite ends of the cross bar;

(C) means for simultaneously swinging the crank units from their lowered positions to their raised positions, comprising (1) a first lever disposed adjacent to one side frame and fixed to a first one of said crank units to turn therewith about its axis, said lever having arms which extend in opposite directions from said axis,

(2) a second lever disposed adjacent to said one side frame and fixed to the second one of said crank units to turn therewith about its axis,

(3) a fluid pressure operated crank actuator comprising telescoping cylinder and rod members,

(4) means connecting one of said actuator members with the second lever,

(5) means connecting the other actuator member with one of the arms of said first lever,

(6) and means providing a governor link connecting the other arm of said first lever with said second lever whereby movement of the rod member in either axial direction is translated into a corresponding axial movement of the cylinder member in the opposite direction;

(D) and means for supplying fluid under pressure to said actuator,

5. In a lift type mooring device for small boats:

(A) structure defining a rigid framework having opposite upright side frames with posts at their opposite ends, and mean connecting the side frames to hold the same in parallel spaced apart relation with the posts thereof rising from the corners of a rectangle;

(B) a pair of boat lifting units jointly supported by the posts at the ends of the rectangle for movement between lowered and raised positions;

(C) an arm supported by one end post of one side frame for pivotal motion about a fixed axis transversely of the rectangle, and drivingly connected with the adjacent boat lifting unit;

(D) a lever supported by the other end post of said one side frame for pivotal motion about a fixed axis transversely of the rectangle, and drivingly connected with its adjacent boat lifting unit, said lever having a pair of arms which extend in opposite directions from its pivot axis;

(E) means providing a drive link connecting said first designated arm with one of the arms of said lever, said drive link comprising (1) a hydraulic cylinder having a head end and an extensible and retractible rod projecting from its other end and connected with one of said lever arms,

(2) an elongated tubular member coaxially connected at one end portion with the head end of the cylinder and having its other end connected to said first designated arm, said tubular member providing a rigid extension of the cylinder,

(3) and a governor link operatively connected at one end with said first designated arm and having its other end connected to the other arm of said lever, said governor link holding the arms connected thereby in similar angular positions on their axes and being operable upon extension of said rod in response to delivery of fluid under pressure to the head end of the cylinder to produce a corresponding movement of the cylinder in the opposite direction and to constrain said first designated arm and the lever to pivotal motion in unison to effect simultaneous raising movement of the crank units;

(F) and means for supplying fluid under pressure to the head end of the cylinder. 6. The lift type boat mooring device of claim 5,

wherein:

(A) said end portion of the tubular member is substantially loosely telescoped over the cylinder from its head end, to support the cylinder, and has (1) a stop therein against which the head end of the cylinder abuts, (2) and a hole in its wall;

(B) and the head end of the cylinder has a fitting thereon through which fluid can be upplied to and exhausted from the cylinder, said fitting projecting through the hole in the wall of the tubular member to hold the cylinder against axial displacement from the tubular member except upon detachment of said fitting from the head end of the cylinder.

7. The lift type boat mooring device of claim 6,

wherein said governor link is shorter than said drive link, and said one end of the governor link is pivotally connected to the tubular member to be operatively connected through the latter with said first designated arm.

8. In a lift type mooring device for boats:

(A) structure defining a rigid framework having similar upright side frame with posts at their opposite ends, and braces connecting the bottoms of adjacent end posts to hold the side frames in spaced apart parallel relationship with their posts rising from the corners of a rectangle;

(B) a pair of substantially U-shaped cranks supported by the posts at the ends of the rectangle for swinging motion between inoperative lowered :positions and operative raised positions about parallel axes extending transversely of the rectangle, each of said cranks comprising (1) coaxial crank pins fixedly connected to the crank and pivotally mounting the same on its posts,

(2) opposite crank arms fixed to the crank pins and normally extending substantially downwardly therefrom,

(3) and a hull engaging cross bar extending between and rigidly joined to the outer ends of the crank arms;

(C) a first lever adjacent to one side frame, medially fixed to the crank pin of one of said crank-s, said lever having arms which extend in opposite directions from its crank pin and which occupy a position angularly displaced a small extent from horizontal when its crank is in its lowered position;

(D) a second lever having an arm adjacent to said designated side frame and fixed to the adjacent crank pin of the other of said cranks, said second lever arm extending from its crank pin in the same direction and at the same angle as one of the arms of said first lever;

(E) means defining a rigid link connecting said last named arms to constrain the cranks to swing in the same direction in unison;

(F) and lengthwise extensible and retractible power applying means extending lengthwise between and connecting said second lever arm with the other arm of said first lever, for effecting simultaneous movement of said cranks through the levers connected therewith.

9. In a lift type mooring device for boats:

(A) structure defining a rigid framework having similar upright side frames with posts at their opposite ends, and braces connecting the bottoms of adjacent end posts to hold the side frames in spaced apart parallel relationship wit-h their posts rising from the corners of arectangle;

(B) a pair of substantially U-shaped cranks supported by the posts at the ends of the rectangle for swinging motion between inoperative lowered positions and operative raised positions about parallel axes extending transversely of the rectangle, each of said cranks comprising (1) coaxial crank pins fixedly connected to the crank and pivotally mounting the same on its posts,

(2) opposite crank arms fixed to the crank pins normally extending substantially downwardly therefrom,

(3) and a hull engaging cross bar extending between and rigidly joined to the outer ends of the crank arms;

(C) a first lever comprising an arm adjacent to one side frame and fixed to the adjacent crank pin of one of said cranks, said arm normal-1y extending in one direction from its pin and at a slight angle to horizontal when its crank is in its lowered position;

(D) pivotally connected link means adjacent to said one side frame substantially defining a triangle wherein (l) a first side of the triangle comprises a lever medially fixed to the adjacent crank pin of the other of said cranks, and which lever has a first arm extending in the same direction and at the same angle as the arm of said first designated lever when its crank is in its lowered position, and having a second arm extending in the opposite direction from its crank pin,

(2) a second side of the triangle comprises an extensible and retractible link having one end connected to the arm of said first lever and its other end connected tothe second arm of said medially mounted lever,

(3) and the third side of the triangle comprises a rigid governor link connecting the arm of said first leve-r with said first arm of the medially mounted lever to constrain said levers and the cranks to which they are connected to swing in unison in common directions;

(E) and means for effecting extension and retraction of said extensible and retractible link.

10. The lift type mooring device of claim 8, further characterized by means detachably connecting the crank arms to their crank pins to facilitate assembly and disassembly of the cranks on the framework.

11. The lifting device of claim 3, wherein the crank units are swingably supported from the posts at the ends of the stall by trunnions which are detachably secured to the posts.

12. In combination with a pair of members that are constrained to rotary motion about fixed parallel axes, means for imparting rotary motion to said members, comprising:

(A) an arm fixed with respect to one of said members and having an outer end portion that swings in a path normal to the axis of its member during rotary movement of the latter about its axis;

(B) means fixed with respect to the other of said members providing substantially opposite lever arms having outer end portions that swing in paths normal to the axis of said other member during rotary movement thereof about its axis, one of said lever arms corresponding to and extending in the same direction from its member as the arm of said first designated member;

(C) means providing a rigid link connecting the outer portions of said corresponding arms to constrain said members to rotary motion in the same direction and in unison;

(D) means providing an elongated lengthwise expansible and contractib'le actuator link connecting the outer portion of the arm of said first designated member with the outer portion of the other of said lever arms;

(E) and power means governing the length of said actuator link.

13. In combination with a pair of members that are contrained to rotary motion about fixed parallel axes, means for simultaneously imparting rotary movement to said members, comprising:

(A) an arm fixed with respect to one of said members and having an outer end portion that swings in a path normal to the axis of its member during rotary movement of the latter about its axis;

(B) means fixed with respect to the other of said members providing substantially opposite lever arms having outer end portions that swing in paths normal to the axis of said other member during rotary movement thereof about its axis;

(C) means providing a link of variable length connecting the outer end portion of said first designated arm with the outer end portion of one of said lever arms, said link comprising a pair of elongated link defining members that are relatively movable lengthwise of one another;

(D) power means for effecting relative lengthwise motion between said link defining members;

(E) and means connecting the outer end portion of said first designated arm with the outer end portion of the other of said lever arms to assure transmission of torsional forces simultaneously to both of said rotary members in consequence of power produced relative lengthwise motion of said link defining members.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primdry Examiner. 

1. IN A LIFTING DEVICE FOR THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED: (A) A RIGID FRAME STRUCTURE COMPRISING OPPOSITE SPACED APART FRONT AND REAR SIDE FRAMES EACH HAVING UPRIGH POSTS AT ITS OPPOSITE ENDS, SAID FRAMES DEFINING AN ELONGATED STALL; (B) FIRST AND SECOND CRANK UNITS JOINTLY SUPPORTED BY THE POSTS AT THE ENDS OF THE STALL SWINGING MOTION BETWEEN LOWERED AND RAISED POSITIONS ABOUT FIXED HORIZONTAL AXES EXTENDING TRANSVESELY OF THE STALL, EACH OF SAID CRANK UNITS COMPRISING A LOAD ENGAGING BAR WHICH EXTENDS CROSSWISE OF THE STALL AND IS SPACED A DISTANCE FROM THE CRANK AXIS; (C) A LEVER CONNECTED WITH SAID FIRST CRANK UNIT AND CONSTRAINED TO SWING THEREWITH ALONG A PATH PARALLEL AND ADJACENT TO ONE OF SAID SIDE FRAMES; (D) LEVER MEANS CONNECTED WITH THE SECOND CRANK UNIT AND CONSTRAINED TO SWING THEREWITH ALONG A PATH PARALLEL AND ADJACENT TO SAID DESIGNATED SIDE FRAME; (E) LINK MEANS CONNECTING SAID LEVER AND LEVER MEANS TO CONSTRAIN THE CRANK UNITS TO SWING IN UNISON BETWEEN THEIR LOWERED AND RAISED POSITIONS; (F) MEANS DEFINING A LENGTHWISE EXTENSIBLE AND RETRACTIBLE LINK; (;) MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING AND EXTENSIBLE AND RETRACTIBLE LINK WITH SAID LEVER AND WITH SAID LEVER MEANS SO THAT EXTENSION AND RETRACTION THEREOF EFFECTS RAISING AND LOWERING OF THE CRANK UNITS IN UNISON; (H) AND MEANS FOR EFFECTING EXTENSION AND RETRACTION OF SAID LAST NAMED LINK. 